Enzymes for breaking down moenomycins

Abstract

A new Bacillus species and the appropriate enzymes obtained therefrom can be used to break down phosphoglycolipid antibiotics. The breakdown products of moenomycins display antibiotic activity or can be used as building blocks for the synthetic preparation of transglycosylas inhibitors.

We claim: 
     
       1. Purified Moenomycinase having the following characteristics: (i) the ability to cleave phosphoglycolipid antibiotics at the phosphoglycosidic linkage;   (ii) a pH optimum of 8.0 to 8.5;   (iii) a temperature optimum of 45° to 55° C.;   (iv) a K m  value of 4 to 10 mmolar based on moenomycin A as substrate; and   (v) a molecular weight of about 230,000±10,000 Dalton as determined by molecular sieve chromatography.   
     
     
       2. Moenomycinase as claimed in claim 1 produced by Bacillus spec. DSM 4675 and the variants and mutants thereof.